Euro Hockey League set for expansion with introduction of EHL Women October 21 – HC Oranje-Rood, Eindhoven

– EHL Women to hit the turf in Easter 2020
– EHL Men set for new format for 2019/20 season
– KO16 draw laid out for Eindhoven for April 17-22, 2019

The Euro Hockey League is set to expand significantly in the 2019/20 season with the exciting introduction of EHL Women.

It is part of the development of the world’s best club hockey competition with EHL Women running in tandem with EHL Men from Easter 2020 with each game enjoying full television production, video referral system and equal prize money.

The two tournaments will take place alongside each other and form part of EHL and the European Hockey Federation’s #equallyamazing drive, showcasing top club hockey in the best possible way.

“I am very proud to announce the launch of EHL Women,” said EHF President Marijke Fleuren about the news.

“It is a big step forward for an equally balanced future. What we have seen around us shows we are ready for this. From the Nielsen report, we have seen the massive rise in interest in women’s sport and we are happy to be part of that move. For that, I am a proud president.”

At Easter 2020, EHL Women will see eight top clubs – from six different countries – play off in a FINAL8 format with knock-out matches across four days of action.

Reacting to the news, Surbiton’s Olympic gold medalist Georgie Twigg said: “I think it is brilliant for the women’s game to have an EHL helping to raise the profile of women’s club hockey.

“EHL will provide a greater platform to showcase European women’s club hockey alongside the men and I am absolutely thrilled to hear of this announcement. Fingers crossed Surbiton will still be competing at that level in 2020!”

EHL Men will also adapt for the 2019/20 season with the tournament reducing from 24 to 20 teams with 11 different countries set to be represented. This will take the form of two tournaments rather than the traditional three – the KO16 and the FINAL8.

ROUND1 will be replaced by a three-day KO16 event in October which will feature teams ranked from 5 to 20 in Europe.

The tournament changes from the traditional ROUND1 format to a knock-out format with 16 clubs playing off that weekend with four sides advancing from the weekend.

They go through to play in the FINAL8 the following Easter where they will join the champions from the top four ranked nations, battling it out for the Alain Danet Trophy over one weekend.

Both EHL Men and Women FINAL8 events will be accompanied by EHL U14 events with boys and girls tournaments also running in tandem at the same venue, forming part of a spectacular festival of top hockey.

Meanwhile, the draw for the EHL Men’s KO16 was made at HC Oranje-Rood, defining the potential path to glory which will play out from April 17 to 22, 2019 in Eindhoven.

The Eindhoven club will meet Uhlenhorst Mulheim in the KO16 with a potential date for the winners against either Dinamo Kazan or Mannheimer HC.

At the top end of the draw, SV Kampong will face Rot-Weiss Köln for the fourth successive season.

The winner of that will have a tough KO8 match on their agenda as they will face the winner of AH&BC Amsterdam and Scottish newcomers Grove Menzieshill.

The next segment of the KO16 draw sees Saint Germain and Club Egara renew rivalries. Who wins that game will play either Spanish giants Real Club de Polo or Royal Leopold in the KO8.

Irish side Three Rock Rovers will come up against KHC Dragons for the second successive season. England’s Surbiton and Belgium’s Waterloo Ducks lie in wait in the KO8 as both clubs make a return to EHL action after three years away.

Further details on the breakdown of qualifiers for EHL Men and Women for 2019/20 will be made available on the EHL website – www.ehlhockey.tv – will be communicated to the national federations by the end of October.

For more information on today’s announcements, click on the following links: